Invest in Yourself Now to Earn More Later

The day will come when you receive your diploma and start the job hunt. In order to increase your chances of being offered a starting salary that will help you lead a comfortable lifestyle, while you're at UNL you need to do constantly work on becoming a desired employee.

Following are some tips for how you can invest in yourself now so in the future you can land your dream job:

Know the Expected Salary & Job Outlook for Your Chosen Career Field
College is about determining what you’re passionate about. Think about your talents and your values when choosing a career field. As the old saying goes, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”

Remember, you need to do what you love AND be able to support yourself. Research the salary range for your chosen career field (UNL Career Services or Salary.com) and the outlook for job availability. You want to have an idea what your future looks like, money wise.

Build Up Your Marketable Skills
Learn what skills employers in your career field are looking for in potential employees. For example, most employers look for people who can work well in a team, are master problem-solvers, and have excellent oral and written communication skills.

Build up these desired skills by gaining leadership positions in student organizations, getting internships, and taking advantage of free educational opportunities at UNL. For example, employers in many different career fields look for students with exceptional computer skills, including computer coding and design. UNL offers free technology classes in order to allow students to become proficient in a variety of computer applications.

On the Same Note, Build Up Your Brand
Constantly be working on determining what you want your “brand” to be. Simply put, your brand is your promise to your employer. It tells them what they can expect from you, and how you are different from your competitors.

How can you use your skills and talents to help your potential employer increase profits? In short, what makes you special? Come graduation time, you want to be able to clearly communicate to a potential employer why you are the best candidate for your dream job.

Network, Network, Network!
No matter how far off graduation seems to be, always attend on-campus interview and career fairs. Networking is crucial to landing a job.

Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Internships
When you’re looking for your first job, know that just having a degree is not going to make you stand out from the crowd. Employers look for job candidates with real-world experience. Get your foot in the door at your dream company, work hard, and show them you are someone they want on their team.

Understand Cost of Living
Cost of living is the cost of maintaining a certain standard of living. For example, if you make $40,000 in Lincoln, in Chicago you must make $50,958 to maintain your lifestyle. Before you decide to move out of Nebraska, first look at cost of living figures.

UNL Money FAQs: First Week of School

Here's a great money secret - UNL's billing and financial aid system is easy to figure out. Just make sure you pay your student bill by the 12th of every month, use the electronic check option on MyRed (using a credit card costs you a convenience fee), and never borrow more in student loans than you really need. Interest adds up fast!

UNL Student Bill FAQs

How will I be billed?

You will receive an e-mail notification for online viewing via MyRed.  

How often is my bill updated?

The bill displayed on MyRed is not updated daily. It is a monthly statement. Once created, it does not change. A more current version of your student account is available on MyRed at "Detail of New Activity". It is updated as new transactions post to the account.  

When will I be billed?

Consolidated statements will be generated before the end of each month. Statements will always be available by the 25th of the month.  

When is my bill due?

Payment deadlines are always the 12th of the month regardless of whether the 12th is a business day, weekend day or holiday.  

What charges will be on my bill each month? 

Bill Sent – August 25^th
Payment Date – September 12^th

• First semester tuition and fees
• Initial Housing Charge (All of Fall or 1st Installment)
• Refund of Excess Aid

Bill Sent – September 25^th
Payment Date – October 12^th

• Possible Tuition and Fee Adjustments for Drops/Adds
• Housing (2nd Installment)
• University Bookstore Charges (Textbooks and Supplies)
• Parking Permit
• New Charges from Health Center, Telecommunications, etc, and Other NCard Campus Account Charges

Bill Sent – October 25^th
Payment Date – November 12^th

• Housing (3rd Installment)
• New Charges from Parking, Health Center, Telecommunications, etc, and Other NCard Campus Account Charges

How should I pay my bill?

The electronic check payment option is FREE, easy and convenient. Go to MyRED - "Student Account" - "Pay Bill" on the right side of the page. To avoid a non-refundable $30 return payment fee, verify your checking or savings routing and bank account numbers and that you have sufficient funds before making a payment.  

Where do I find my routing number and account number?

UNL Scholarships & Financial Aid FAQs

What do I do with my scholarship checks?

If you have received a scholarship check from an outside club, organization, or foundation, complete and submit the Scholarship Check Page to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (17 Canfield Building) with your endorsed check.  

How are funds disbursed?

All funds are issued in two disbursements, once in the fall semester and once in the spring semester. Financial aid is applied to tuition and fee charges first and then toward housing and other institutional charges. If the aid is greater than the charges owed, you will receive a refund from the Office of Student Accounts within ten business days from the date the disbursement is credited. 

Where does my student loan refund go?

It goes to the account you set up in MyRed.

NOTE: You enroll for direct deposit via your MyRed account. Log in to MyRed and select the "Enroll in Direct Deposit" link found in either the Student Account or Financial Aid tab. Using a check as a guide, you will need to fill in your account's routing number, account number, and indicate whether it is a checking or savings account.  

What if I need more money?

You can look at banks and credit unions. If you would like assistance comparing loans, visit the SMMC in room 237 in the City Union.

Here is a listing of some places to start search:

 http://www.unl.edu/scholfa/Alternative_loan.shtml

Your New Money Goal: Increase Your Credit Score

We all have goals for our life. If you want to reach your goals, you need to:

• Recognize how reaching this goal will positively impact your life, which will give you motivation for putting in the work to reach your goal

• Identify the steps  you need to take to reach the goal

For example, if you want to lose weight, you need to determine how losing weight will positively impact your life (better health, better appearance, etc.) and identify the steps you need to take to get to your desired weight (exercise, diet, etc.)

One goal all of us should have is to increase our credit score. This number plays an important role in your life. Following are some of the benefits of having a high score:

•  You pay less for your car insurance
• You will be able to get your dream apartment
• You will pay less (sometimes substantially less) for loans (including your mortgage, auto loans, personal loans and others)
• You won’t be prevented from getting your dream job

If you have borrowed money of any kind in your name (personal loans, student loans, car loans, credit cards, etc.), you have a credit report. This report includes information about how you have repaid money you’ve borrowed. For each account it is shown if you paid on-time or if you paid late each month (30, 60 or 90+ days late). It also shows how much of each credit line you are using (ex: you have a credit card with a $500 limit and you are carrying a balance of $100).

If you have had serious money management problems, those will be clearly displayed – bankruptcy, accounts that have gone to collections, etc. Your credit report also shows how many times you have given financial institutions permission to access your credit report (also called inquiries).

Your credit score is based off information in your credit report. Your score ranges from 300-850 (the higher, the better). The following graph shows how your credit score is determined:

If you want to reach your goal of increasing your credit score, following are some steps to take:

Payment History (35%):

It’s easy – pay all your bills on time! Even if you’ve had problems with late payments in the past, if you start paying on time now, your score will gradually increase. If you need to be late, don’t hit the 30 day late mark!

Amounts Owed (30%):

This category is called your capacity – or how much of your credit limit you are using on your revolving credit lines (typically credit cards). Don’t use more than 30% of the credit that is available to you. For example, if you have 3 credit cards with a total credit limit of $1,000, don’t carry a monthly balance over $300. The lower your percentage of credit use, the better. If you do need to use more than 30%, talk to your credit card company to see if they will increase your credit limit.

Length of Credit History (15%):

This category takes into account both your oldest reporting credit line and the average age of all your accounts. Only time can improve this section. However, closing old credit cards can harm your score in this section. Unless you are paying an annual fee on a card you aren’t using, keep those old accounts open.

New Credit (10%):

The biggest part of this category is inquiries. In general, don’t apply for more credit than you need. If you have lots of credit applications, your score will drop. If you are rate-shopping for a mortgage or car loan, which is a good idea!, rate shop in a 45-day window. As long as you are applying for the same type of loan at each financial institution, all your inquires will only count as 1 inquiry.

Types of Credit Used (10%):

Lenders like to see that you can handle a variety of loans – credit cards, student loans, car payments, a mortgage, etc.

Also, remember to check your credit report regularly to make sure there are no errors that may be bringing down your score. Get 3 free credit reports each year, 1 from each of the 3 major credit reporting bureaus, at: www.annualcreditreport.com.

Know you will only get your credit report. The items in this report determine your credit score, which you have to pay a small fee to access.

About the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

We are always getting questions at the SMMC about the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Here's what you need to know about this "money secret" few people utilize.

In order to be eligible, candidates for the program must:

• Work full-time in a qualifying public service job for 10 years
• Make 120 full, on-time monthly payments on their Direct Loans

After 10 years of payments, your remaining loan balance is dropped.

Ensuring that your job meets the qualifications for this program is important. For a job to be eligible, it needs to be a federal, state or local government entity or an IRS designated tax-exempt non-profit organization. A private non-profit employer may also qualify, if it provides certain public services.

These include:

• emergency management
• military service
• public safety, or law enforcement services
• public health services
• public education or public library services
• school library and other school-based services
• public interest law services
• early childhood education
• public service for individuals with disabilities and the elderly

To maximize forgiveness under the PSLF Program, you should repay your loans on the Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan, Pay As You Earn Repayment Plan, or the Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) Plan, which are three of the repayment plans that qualify for PSLF.

Other PSLF-qualifying repayment plans are the 10-Year Standard Repayment Plan or any other repayment plan where your monthly payment amount equals or exceeds what you would pay under a 10-Year Standard Repayment Plan. It’s a good idea to look into the different types of repayment plans so that the most cost-effective plan can be adopted – this may help you save money in the long run.

Because it will take at least 10 years for you to make the 120 qualifying payments necessary to receive PSLF, there is an Employment Certification for Public Service Loan Forgiveness form (Employee Certification form) that you submit to FedLoan Servicing and a process that you should follow so that they can assist you in tracking your periods of qualifying employment and your qualifying payments.

• Step 1 — Complete, with your employer's certification, the Employment Certification form annually or whenever you change jobs.
  
• Step 2 — Submit the completed form to FedLoan Servicing (PHEAA), the PSLF servicer, following the instructions on the form.
  
• Step 3 — FedLoan Servicing (PHEAA) will review your Employment Certification form, ensure that it is complete, and, based on the information provided by your employer, determine whether your employment is qualifying employment for the PSLF Program.

For more information:
http://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/charts/public-service

Free Things to Do in Lincoln in August

During this time of year, there are plenty of free activities that UNL students can take advantage of. Lincoln offers free attractions, activities and events for Huskers – everything from concerts to sporting events and everything in between. All information has been taken from the corresponding websites.

1.  Pioneers Park is a great place for people to explore the natural environment of Nebraska. The environmental education center and wildlife sanctuary has over 650 acres of tallgrass prairie, woodlands, wetlands and a stream. The park is open 362 days a year. Admission is free, but donations are suggested.
2. Holmes Lake is a 112 acre lake located on Antelope Creek. Fishing, hiking, biking, picnicking and golfing are popular activities at this location. The Hyde Memorial Observatory can also be found here. It is open to the public every Saturday night until 11 pm through September and 10 pm through March. You can view the night sky through three of the observatory’s telescopes.
3. Party in the Parks is a new community art and entertainment series that features live music, visual arts, food vendors and kids' activities. The upcoming date is September 28^th, from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
   
4. The Haymarket Farmer’s Market runs every Saturday from 8:00 am to 12 pm until October 12^th. Live entertainment can be found on stage in Iron Horse Park with street musicians on every corner. The market itself has a wide variety of fruit, vegetables, meat, baked goods, plants, arts, crafts and much more.
5. The Fallbrook Farmer’s Market is a great place for live music, family friendly events, and handcrafted and artisanal products. Fresh, seasonal produce, farm-raised meats and eggs, farmstead cheeses, breads, pastries and much more are sold at every market. Its hours of operations are every Thursday from 4:30 pm to 8pm.
6. Students and Rec Center members are offered one free climb at the UNL Climbing Wall per semester. All essential equipment, including seat harness, belay device and climbing rope is provided by the Rec. A staff member will be ready and available to assist anyone at the wall.
7. Some Husker athletic events are free for students, including baseball, women’s basketball, soccer, gymnastics, track and field and more. Students have to present their N Card at the gate and admission is free.
8. UNL’s Botanical Gardens are a wonderful place to take a stroll and admire the many different types of flora. The gardens can be found in multiple places on both City Campus and East Campus. On City Campus, they are located by the Cather, Love, Andrews, Burnett, Donaldson and Sheldon buildings. East campus houses The Earl G. Maxwell Arboretum.
   
   
9. The Sheldon Art Museum houses the Sheldon Art Association collection founded in 1888 and the University of Nebraska collection, initiated in 1929. Together they comprise more than 12,000 works of art in all media. The Sculpture Garden has more than 30 monumental sculptures which are exhibited all year. The Sheldon's exhibition program comprises approximately 20 exhibitions per year and focuses on American art in all media. Admission is free. The museum hours are as follows: Tuesdays from 10 am to 8 pm, Wednesday through Saturday 10 am to 5 pm, Sunday 12 pm – 5 pm.
10. Morrill Hall features exhibits on natural history, prehistoric reconstructions of mammals, reptiles and dinosaurs as well as the world-famous Elephant Hall, where visitors see the world's largest articulated fossil mammoth among the premier collection of fossil elephants. Admission is free for UNL students, faculty and staff. The hours Monday through Saturday are 9:30 am-4:30 pm, Thursdays are 9:30 am-8:00 pm and Sundays are 1:30 pm-4:30 pm.
11. The Mueller Planetarium is a part of Morrill Hall, but offers its own unique exhibits and shows. For almost fifty years, the planetarium has educated audiences with exciting fulldome multi-media presentations exploring the latest discoveries in astronomy. The operating hours are the same as Morrill Hall.
    
    
    
12. Sunken Gardens features an annual floral display that consists of over 30,000 individual annual plants which are redesigned to a different theme each year. It is the only Nebraska garden listed in the “300 Best Gardens to Visit in the United States and Canada” by National Geographic Guide to Public Gardens.
13. It’s important for any Husker fan to visit Memorial Stadium. The self-guided tour takes fans into the Stadium, with limited field access, at Gate 24 (when no teams are practicing) and around the stadium. Tours can be taken seven days a week from 8 am to 8 pm.
14. International Quilt Museum offers visitors a one-of-a-kind look at historical and contemporary quilts and quiltmaking traditions. The museum’s hours are Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday 1 pm to 4 pm. Admission is free for UNL students, faculty and staff.
15. The Pinnacle Bank Arena is having a Husker Watch Party during the Nebraska vs. Wyoming football game. You can watch the Huskers take their opponents on the arena’s Panasonic high definition center scoreboard with video on all sides in the main arena. Admission is free and there will be food and favorite beverages for sale.